I play alternative rock and I do rim shots as much as possible. Basically I have to play loud, as it also improves my performance and sounds better. But even then it takes me a little while to get through a pair of sticks.

playing loud does not improve performance, trust me, just experiment is it harder to play fast and soft or fast and hard? try it i promise you there is more skill in playing fast and soft

If anyone likes their heaveir sticks, I'd definately recommend the Vic Firth Buddy Rich Sig sticks. I normally snap a pair every practice of the REALLY cheap 2B's, Vic and Promark 2B's normally last about 3 or 4 months. But my Buddy Rich's have lasted me near on two years.

I think the problem with snapping sticks, is finding the stick that matches your playing style. Of the standard ones, 2B are definately the more suited to me, but not quite right, the BR's are almost perfect. I think if you're going for 5A's just because, or because that's what you like, but keep breaking, maybe you should try either a 6, or a jazz/rock type stick. Just the small weight and shape changes that are subtle can help...

Welcome to the club! I think those Vic Firth sticks are awful - I never had a full tip on my 5A's for more than a week and once I had a pair that lasted 3 days before the stick broke in half. Now playing zildjian 5A's with plastic tips and although people have been saying how weak they are, they have lasted about 2 months now and the tip just won't break!

if the nylon tips come off of a vic firth stick they will replace it, guaranteed!

ive been drumming for only about a year now and ive found that having to pairs of sticks for different perpouses works good. i started out playing with vic firth 5A's and thoses would splinter and brake to easily. now i use zildjian trilock gurtru sticks for fast and light songs and i use promark 747 japaneese white oak sticks for heavier songs and rock songs. so far i havent broken a stick since i use two pairs

ive been drumming for only about a year now and ive found that having to pairs of sticks for different perpouses works good. i started out playing with vic firth 5A's and thoses would splinter and brake to easily. now i use zildjian trilock gurtru sticks for fast and light songs and i use promark 747 japaneese white oak sticks for heavier songs and rock songs. so far i havent broken a stick since i use two pairs

I was given several pairs of the Zildjian Trilok Gurtu sticks to try, they are very interesting to say the least, especially with the dipped indented grips. I find them useful with most genres of music and find that they balance beautifully. They're great for when your hands start to sweat, lol.

I was given several pairs of the Zildjian Trilok Gurtu sticks to try, they are very interesting to say the least, especially with the dipped indented grips. I find them useful with most genres of music and find that they balance beautifully. They're great for when your hands start to sweat, lol.

Dennis

the dipped ends really give a good grip when sweating. these sticks have lasted me about 8 months and im just about to replace them

A good few years back, I was trying to make my sticks last longer and decided to adjust my hihats so that the natural movement of the cymbals would not expose the stick to the open edge of the bottom cymbal to axe away at it. I got 2 results; my sticks lasted longer and I cracked the top cymbal of my 13" K/Z hihats. I don't worry about stick wear now, I'd always rtaher break a stick than a cymbal.

Incidentally, I use vic firth nova rock size with nylon tips. I previously used premium vic firth sticks of the same size and type and found that they were inferior in terms of lasting and lost tips much more regularly than the novas. I've never had any quality issues with the novas either.

A good few years back, I was trying to make my sticks last longer and decided to adjust my hihats so that the natural movement of the cymbals would not expose the stick to the open edge of the bottom cymbal to axe away at it. I got 2 results; my sticks lasted longer and I cracked the top cymbal of my 13" K/Z hihats. I don't worry about stick wear now, I'd always rtaher break a stick than a cymbal.

Incidentally, I use vic firth nova rock size with nylon tips. I previously used premium vic firth sticks of the same size and type and found that they were inferior in terms of lasting and lost tips much more regularly than the novas. I've never had any quality issues with the novas either.

Just saying...

Iain

When Vic Firth first put out the deal that if you bought 12 pair they would write your name on them, so I said what the hell but to my supprise they were not american classic and were the novas. Now normally I dont break sticks I just wear out the vic firth 5bn's on the hats till they get so thin that the ends just fall off and have only lost one tip in 12 years and they replaced the pair when complained, but I broke all but a few of the nova in only 3 gigs, even broke 3 in one song, lost some tips on a couple others. I dont know if they make them any better now but the problem was the grain went on an angle thru them about an inch from the tip to just in front of your hand and it would let go on the grain and usually on rim shots. I was later told that the novas are made from the wood they reject for the american classics.

I don't get how people break so many sticks... I'v been playing for about 5 years and only broke 2 pairs of drum sticks, and I hit HARD! The Vic Firth American Custom sd10 swinger "Rock maple" drumsticks i used broke extremely fast and left the floor with bits of sawdust all over the place.. I was given ziljian sticks, im not sure what the model is but they're quite short and narrow made of heavy wood. they have never broken and the only marks on them are little bumps, no wood shavings at all. The tips started breaking today, leaving dents in my heads :/ iv been using them for so long the tips were 2mm less in diameter.. If you break your sticks fast just try out new ones, my first pair of drumsticks are still unbroken, i dont use them as much anymore as they lost their flexibility, vic firth nylon 5a sticks

I don't get how people break so many sticks... I'v been playing for about 5 years and only broke 2 pairs of drum sticks, and I hit HARD! The Vic Firth American Custom sd10 swinger "Rock maple" drumsticks i used broke extremely fast and left the floor with bits of sawdust all over the place.. I was given ziljian sticks, im not sure what the model is but they're quite short and narrow made of heavy wood. they have never broken and the only marks on them are little bumps, no wood shavings at all. The tips started breaking today, leaving dents in my heads :/ iv been using them for so long the tips were 2mm less in diameter.. If you break your sticks fast just try out new ones, my first pair of drumsticks are still unbroken, i dont use them as much anymore as they lost their flexibility, vic firth nylon 5a sticks

I don't break a lot of sticks, I've probably broken only 4 or 5 across my drumming career, but i do wear through them. I think it has a lot to do with the height of my hihat and my technique, good or bad I'm not sure, I get so much sawdust it looks like the termites have been visiting, but like I said, rather a stick than a cymbal.

I don't break a lot of sticks, I've probably broken only 4 or 5 across my drumming career, but i do wear through them. I think it has a lot to do with the height of my hihat and my technique, good or bad I'm not sure, I get so much sawdust it looks like the termites have been visiting, but like I said, rather a stick than a cymbal.

lol, same here, Ive had other drummers get behind my kit and say it looks like a saw mill back here...but I agree with you. sticks are cheaper than cymbals...

Ok, so I've gotta throw my two cents in. I used to break 1-2 pairs of Vic Firth 5A's per 45 minute set with my band when we were on tour. I started using Silverfox Sticks because I had heard how durable they were. Seriously, they're awesome. They coat the stick with a thin coat of Duracrylix, which make them less likely to splinter.

The only way I approve a piece of gear is if it passes the gig test...and the Silverfox Sticks kill it! I was so impressed that I made a review of them on my YT channel. You can check it out here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-NhbdFJiwU

I had Pro-Mark 5A Hickorys. I wasnt happy at all because they were very heavy sticks and I thought that they wouldnt break for a long time but yeh, they broke within a week. Now I use Regal Tip 5B Hickorys and Im happy with them. They havent broke for now and they are very light sticks.

Ok, so I've gotta throw my two cents in. I used to break 1-2 pairs of Vic Firth 5A's per 45 minute set with my band when we were on tour. I started using Silverfox Sticks because I had heard how durable they were. Seriously, they're awesome. They coat the stick with a thin coat of Duracrylix, which make them less likely to splinter.

The only way I approve a piece of gear is if it passes the gig test...and the Silverfox Sticks kill it! I was so impressed that I made a review of them on my YT channel. You can check it out here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-NhbdFJiwU

What size Silverfox sticks do you use?
I usually play 5B sticks but I bought 5A Silverfox and I'm also a hard hitter and they last me about 2 months. And I love how light but durable they are.

I had found a pair of sticks that I reeeealllyyy like, the length, weight, and feel all really worked for me. They are Vic Firth X5A's. Unfortunately, I feel like Vic Firth's quality has SERIOUSLY declined lately. I used to use pairs of sticks for a very long time, months at least. I have gone through 4 brand new pairs of these since the first week in January. At about $8-10 a piece it's not worth it for me to keep buying these. I've heard the HD9's stand up pretty well and are just a bit fatter than the X5A's so I'll give those a go. For now, I've been using the Neil Peart signature ProMarks. They have held up quite well, but they feel tip-heavy and the tips themselves are also too large for my liking...
Anyways, just my 2 cents!

Broken sticks are a result of playing too hard. That's it. Why does anything ever break? Too much pressure on it, right? Stop putting so much pressure on how hard you hit and save your sticks. Now, are you playing in arenas that seat 10,000 people? If so, you need to hit hard. If not, pull back a little and add some sensitivity to your playing.

I had Pro-Mark 5A Hickorys. I wasnt happy at all because they were very heavy sticks and I thought that they wouldnt break for a long time but yeh, they broke within a week. Now I use Regal Tip 5B Hickorys and Im happy with them. They havent broke for now and they are very light sticks.

Hello,
I am glad you found a stick you are comfortable with but I wanted to address the breaking of the ProMark 5A's. Can I ask where the sticks broke and how long ago it was?

I need so much help with this. Ive claimed 3 pairs in the last two practices, i love 5A's and i feel most natural playing with them. but i cannot stop destroying them. does anyone know of a strong 5A that isnt a cymbal smashing Ahead or a SIlver Fox cos they dont agree with me either.

Broken sticks are a result of playing too hard. That's it. Why does anything ever break? Too much pressure on it, right? Stop putting so much pressure on how hard you hit and save your sticks.

Nah, I wouldn't say it works that way. Sticks do break, no matter how you play.
If someone needs new tires on his car after having driven every day for 30 years, would you dismiss that as him driving "too hard"?

If a guitarist snaps a string after gigging with the string every day for 5 years, would that be caused by the guitarist's inability to be careful?

Anyways, I know there are many people out there who actually hit too hard, and smashes a lot of sticks in their way.
But sticks are always gonna break for everyone - no matter how you play.

I believe that when you're hitting a stationary object with a piece of wood, there's always a chance that that piece of wood can break, even if you don't apply too much pressure. It's just the nature of the thing.
I think it's totally possible to have a bad batch of sticks. I've seen 'em and played 'em. Normally, before I start a tour, for example, I take a pair of sticks for every gig. 27 shows, 27 pair. Some days I'll break 3, some days not. On the last tour I went 19 shows in before breaking a stick, then broke sticks in the 3 following shows. The tour before that I ran out and had to buy more.
Those are Vic Classic 5AN.
I've had a pair of 7AN's for 4 years now.
I have a 10 year-old pair of Hardimans.

Everybody will find what is comfortable for them. We all have different conditions in which we play, so absolutes don't really work here, I believe. A guy in his jazz combo is not going to play like the guy at the metal gig, or the kid still working on his basic skills. Since everyone's different, everyone's results will be different.
While some techniques can break sticks more than others, sticks will just break.

Vater sticks are super durable...I've never had a problem with them breaking in two like some of the other brands, but for any stick the tips go fast...unless you use nylon of course.

Also you can hit hard without applying a lot of pressure to the sticks. The tighter you hold them, the more you're choking the vibrations, and the pressure has to be released somehow. The looser my grip has become, the more power I've gotten, and I break less sticks...

RE ; "" Now, are you playing in arenas that seat 10,000 people? If so, you need to hit hard." it would seem to me that any band playing in that kind of venue would have a decent sound system,,,,,

I think what he means is when you have a live audience in a large venue and you are a rock or metal band, you need to exert your own energy a lot more than in practice in order to receive the same amount of positive energy from the crowd.

I've used tons of different Vic Firth's. Zildjian's, and Vater's before until I switched to Promark last summer. I've broken sticks from all of these brands including Promark but they are definitely my favorite stick brand now. Sure they're pretty expensive, and I still can break them in half, but they seem to be more durable than any of the others I've tried and they just have a great feel to them. I use Promark Japanese Oak 5B Nylon tips and sometimes the same kind in 747's and I don't think I could bring myself to buy sticks from another brand anymore.

I use vicfirth Metal-N sticks ( they look like giant matches) I go through a pair every 3 weeks. Though I have to say that my floor tom destroys sticks. something about my low tuning cracks them! I can't complain with the performance the extra length and thickness provide exactly what I look for in a stick.

I'm pretty much in a dead heat between Promark and Vic Firth... to me durability is out the same between their hickory sticks. Of course the Promark Oak take a really long time to break. I tend to break sticks at bout the same rate from all of the brands, so for me it is all about the feel of the stick and tip, and how easy it is to use my technique with the sticks. I am also in love with the Vater West side model as well as the Los Angeles 5A and 5A Specials.

I had to cry myself to sleep the other night.. I sat down behind a kit in a studio for the first time in many many many months.. bought a brand new pair of sticks from the venue, and the head of my vic just went flying within the first 30 seconds... I couldn't believe it!

It must have just been a rotten apple though, because evne though i was hitting quite hard, it's just as hard as i normal play, and i've had to retire many pairs of vics because they're splinter so much from rimshots, but would NOT break!!